Known cables have a tubular conductive shielding that surrounds one or more inner conductors (wires) and prevents leakage of electrical and magnetic fields outside of the shield. The tubular shielding is typically provided by a braided (woven) mesh formed, for example, from electrically conductive (e.g., metal) wire. A coaxial cable is an example of such a cable having a braided shield and includes an inner conductor (central core) surrounded by insulation material (inner dielectric insulator). Coaxial therewith, the insulation material of the inner conductor is surrounded by an outer conductor in the form of a woven braid (braided shield). In turn the braided shield is also surrounded (covered) by another layer of insulation material (outer insulation or outer plastic sheath).
To install an electrical connector (e.g., an F-type or N-type coaxial connector) on the end of the coaxial cable, it is necessary, among other things, to remove the outer insulation surrounding the braided shield and then push back the end of the braided shield, which overlays the inner insulation, by a predetermined length while widening (flaring) it essentially perpendicular to the direction of extension of the inner conductor. Up to now, the widening or flaring of the braided shield has been achieved, for example, by using compressed-air jets inserted between the inner insulation and the braided shield.
Another method for widening and preparing the braided shield was disclosed in WO 2006/128597 A1 and its English counterpart US 2008/0313892, wherein the braided shield is exposed at the end of the cable, flared radially, and bent back away from the end of the coaxial cable over a predetermined length in the axial direction. During this process, the braided shield is subjected to a radially inwardly directed force over at least a part of the circumference of the coaxial cable to flare the braided shield.
Further examples of cables having braided shields are multi-wire cables (also known as “multicore cables”) that are surrounded by a common shield, such as, for example, high speed data (HSD) cables used in the automotive industry.
Another device for widening a braided shield was disclosed in DE 10 2013 206 804 A1 and its English counterpart US 2013/0283605, wherein the widening is effected by two mutually engaging shaping blocks that each have a trapezoidal groove.